Siskin Carduelis spinus   [Linnaeus, 1758]

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   Page updated:16-January-2013

Order: Passeriformes Family: Carduelidae
BTO Codes: SK, SISKI EURING No: 16540
Number in Britain: 357 thousand territories (Summer)
Conservation Status:
UK: GREEN
European: Not a species of concern
Global: (Details)
Links to: Images   Videos   Sound  
Status in UK: (A)  Resident Breeder, Passage/Winter Visitor
Subspecies: Monotypic
.
Length: 12 cm Wingspan: 22 cm Weight: M/F: 15 g    
Scientific name from: L.: carduelis=the goldfinch and Gr.: spinos=a bird described by Aristophanes and others]
World Distribution: BREEDS: n Eurasia, WINTERS: south to s Europe, c Asia
Habitat: Woodland
Diet: Seeds esp spruce or pine, alder, birch, some invertebrates in summer

Population and Distribution

Population Trend: BirdTrends   
Regional Trends: Scotland   England   English Regions
Distribution: Atlas Maps    BBS Maps
British Population Size:
    Summer: 357 thousand territories in 2000
    First Record: Recorded in Medieval times
    Conservation Status: GREEN
   Previous Assessments: 2002-2007 GREEN     1996-2001 GREEN  
   Races of Concern:
Habitat Occupancy (in the Breeding Season):
    Most frequent in: Coniferous Wood
Relative Frequency in Each Habitat:
Migration routes: Map of foreign ringing recoveries  and summary map from Time to Fly (in pop-up windows)
European Population Size:
    Summer: 2 to 6 million pairs   (Trend in Numbers)
Population Assesment from Birds in Europe
Distribution in Europe mapped by the EBCC Atlas
Listed on the Appendices/Schedules of: WCA(III), Bern(III)
Survey Results: Results from BirdTrack
Results from Garden BirdWatch

Breeding and Survival

Egg Size: 16 x 12 mm Egg Weight: 1.3 g (of which 5 % is shell)
Number of Nest Records: 2
Clutch Size: 4 - 5 eggs
Incubation: 12- 13 days   by the: Female
Fledging: 13 - 15days as: Altricial, downy
First Clutches Laid: Unavailable
Number of Broods: 2
See trends in Breeding Productivity
Number Ringed: Annual Totals
Adult Survival: 0.461    (M:0.476 ± 0.074; F:0.446 ± 0.085)      
Juvenile Survival: 0.449 (in First-Year)  
Age at First Breeding: 1 year Typical Lifespan: 2 years
Maximum Recorded Age: 8 years 1 months 27 days (set in 2001)
Read a summary of Ringing Recoveries

Biometrics

Ring Size: A
Wing Length Adult: 72.4 ± 3.5     Range 61.0 - 84.0 mm, (N = 60879)
Juvenile: 72.0 ± 1.9     Range 61.0 - 84.0 mm, (N = 31108)
Male: 73.3 ± 1.7     Range 61.0 - 84.0 mm, (N = 34720)
Female: 71.3 ± 4.7     Range 61.0 - 83.0 mm, (N = 26091)
Weight Adult: 12.86 ± 1.51 Range 8.60 - 17.10 g , (N =51674)
Juvenile: 12.1 ± 0.9 Range 8.5 - 17.1 . , (N =28175)
Male: 12.94 ± 1.58 Range 8.60 - 17.10 g , (N =29236)
Female: 12.75 ± 1.40 Range 9.00 - 17.10 g , (N =22380)
Seasonal: Summer 12.66 ± 0.91 (N = 14860)   Autumn 12.52 ± 1.01 (N = 3455)   Winter 12.87 ± 0.97 (N = 53577)  
Source: British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Ringing Scheme data

Other Names

Eurasian Siskin
Gaelic: Gealag-bhuidhe Welsh: Pila Gwyrdd
Danish: Grřnsisken Dutch: Sijs
Finnish: Viherbarpunen French: Tarin des aulnes
German: Erlenzeisig Hungarian: Csíz
Icelandic: Barrfinka Irish: Siscín
Italian: Lucarino Norwegian: Grřnnsisik
Polish: Czyz zwyczajny Portuguese: Lugre
Spanish: Lúgano Swedish: Grönsiska

For More Information...

Books and Monographs:
   Newton, I. 1972 The finches Collins, London [598.982 NEW]
See Also:
Find scientific papers on Google Scholar or Scirus by clicking the icon
Wikipedia entry
BirdLife species page
Recent sightings and information from BirdGuides
Read State of the Nations Birds by Chris Mead